Incorporating Technology into my L2 Classroom

Salvete omnes, today I want to talk about you about introducing podcasts into your classroom. Now I know what you are thinking. “But Brittany, why should I give podcasting the time of day when I can look up videos on a variety topics on YouTube? What’s the difference between the two?” Ah, my dear reader, as always you bring up an excellent point. Why don’t we take a look at these two applications and decide for ourselves which we would implement in the classroom. The first and possibly biggest point of each one is that anyone can view and create either a YouTube video or podcast. This means that there is a wide variety of videos and podcasts available for users to explore. The second similarity between the two is the ability to subscribe. So if you find a YouTube channel or a podcast that consistently puts out content you enjoy, then you can subscribe to that channel or site and receive notifications about when new content becomes available. The only difference between the two i...

Salvete omnes. In my last post I introduced an increasingly popular education concept known as a flipped classroom. As I’m sure you, my sweet reader, have realized by now is that I am a very curious person. I always enjoy try out the new technology, or the new ways to use already existing technology, that I discover as I am working my way through my graduate studies. So I hope it does not surprise you to learn that after I posted my previous blog entry, in which I gave a general introduction to flipped classrooms, that I went out into the wilderness of the Internet to try my hand at creating a lesson for a flipped classroom. It was during this journey that I was lead to TED-Ed.com , where I was able to create and publish my lesson. It was a relatively easy process. I searched through the videos provided on TED-Ed, and with the topic of Roman engineering and technology on my mind I settled on the idea of creating a lesson on aqueducts. Really I think choosing the video may have b...

Salvete omnes and welcome back! Before we delve into this week’s blog topic, I need you to do something for me. Imagine with me please, you’re sitting in math class doing everything you are supposed to do. You’re paying attention to the teacher, you’re taking comprehensive notes, and you’re raising your hand to ask questions about concepts that seem a bit confusing. By the time class ends you feel like you have a pretty good grasp on everything you just learned. Now jump ahead with me a few hours and imagine that you are at home. You’re sitting down and beginning to start your math homework. You take a look at the first question and .... nothing.  Everything you learned has flown out the window and you are left confused and frustrated. My sweet reader has this ever happened to you? Because, if so you are not alone and if I’m being honest with you this was my experience with all my math classes throughout high school. But what if I told you there was another way? Acknowledging t...